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It's no surprise there were plenty of KISS fans on hand at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, CA on Feb. 26, 2016 to catch the Orange County debut of singer-guitarist Paul Stanley's new group dubbed Soul Station. But what may have been a bit surprising to some unschooled members of the capacity crowd was not only the complete lack of any KISS classics in the set list, but...

Do you know how to practice? We all want to improve our skills, but it can be hard to know where to start or how to go about it. A good percentage of people who come to my studio have played for years but feel like they stopped improving a long time ago, and need guidance on what to do. So a lot of my work is focused exactly in this area: how to figure out what exactly to...

Everybody’s favourite adult playground, Secret Garden, will soon be blowing minds at the end of the month. A simple farm in Sydney’s south west will be transformed into a wonderland that even C.S Lewis will have a hard time fathoming. It may be your first time as a gardener, and with the lineup still remaining a mystery you may be at a loss of how to make the most of your time there. After...

Under the US copyright law, an author or creator owns a copyright in his or her work the moment it is “fixed in a tangible medium” (i.e., the moment the expression of an idea is written down or recorded in some manner). When it comes to the recorded music business there are two primary copyrights of interest: one in the musical composition or song; another in the sound recording of that song.

An amateur songwriter is offering a $10,000 reward to the most qualified, enthusiastic Christian artist who is willing to adopt his song "God Is Friends with Me." Larry Schwarz recognizes that it will be extremely challenging and time-consuming to publish and promote his own song. To this end, he is actively seeking talented Christian musicians who share his passion for ...

As songwriters, we so often get bogged down in the micro-details of our songs (whether to use “and” or “but,” should the last note of the chorus melody go up or down, etc.) that we tend to overlook the big issues that can help us tighten, streamline and otherwise improve our songs in major ways. I’m going to bring up a few of the commonly overlooked issues that I see time...

One of the most tragic things in the years leading up to the death of Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek in May 2013 was that original drummer John Densmore didn't join forces with Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger in their Doors of the 21st Century or Riders on the Storm projects. However, on Friday night, Densmore and Krieger performed together live for the first time in...

It’s no revelation that electrifying, badass women have existed in the music worldfor, well, as long as music and women have co-existed. It’s also no secret that famous female guitarists are few and far between when compared to male counterparts, andsince Instagram’s debut and the #RiffWars uprise, the significant herd of men overcrowding the hashtag, and many others, has given this...

Following up her brilliant AB-EP, Ali Barter jetted off to LA to continue writing and recording with producer Harlan Silverman. The first of those new songs is Far Away. If you’ve ever felt like heading to LA for a holiday but aren’t sure where to go, Ali has a few recommendations based on her time there. After bunkering down in LA to record Far Away, Ali Barter is now your helpful...

The Snowdroppers are one of those band who sell tickets to shows on their reputation alone. If you haven’t seen these gentlemen doing their thing on stage then you’re in luck. The band are embarking on their Gluttons for Punishment tour in February, so if you love your rock n’ roll shows raw and loud get yourself a ticket. As connoisseurs of the stage, the band decided to...

I love it when artists have multiple projects. Like how Josh Tillman dipped his beak into both Fleet Foxes and Father John Misty. It just gets me thinking, “Wow, this guy is a bit of a chameleon. Completely versatile. He can think in a few different ways and be awesome at all of them“. It makes me and probably most of us ‘normal’ people feel entirely inadequate and leaves us questioning...

You’re a songwriter. It’s what you do. It’s what you’ve trained yourself to do through countless hours of study, practice and effort. Your songs are yours and no one can write them for you. In other words, you’ve become an expert at writing your songs. That’s how it should be. However, if you’re going to treat your songwriting as a business that you hope to profit from, then...

It’s kinda weird that we’re 14 days into 2016 and Sister Act hasn’t been on free-to-air TV yet. To be fair, I haven’t seen Cool Runnings or Mrs. Doubtfire pop up yet either, and The Wedding Singer has only been on once so far, which is a little surprising. But today we’ll try to stave off those Whoopi Goldberg withdrawals with a sister act that you probably haven’t heard before: it’s Lily...

It can be a tough slog being a musician AND trying to manage your band at the same time. If you find yourself in a bit of strife balancing the two, Greg Carey, manager of Cloud Control, The Rubens and co-chair of Association Of Artist Managers has 5 tips to help all you youngin’s manage your business. Take it away Greg! Not sure how to navigate the waters of music management? The...

Human beings are innately musical. Our biology demands it. Every human heart beats in its own unique rhythm. The accent patterns of our speech identify us city folk from South Boston or Midwestern farmers from South Dakota. Scientists are convinced that the recognition of specific “danger” sounds (a baby’s cry, a woman’s scream, a saber-toothed tiger’s growl) has had...